Too Much to Ask? (Case Study) (Dead Body Rights) (Case Study‪)‬

A seventy-eight-year-old Chinese man is admitted to the hospital with a cerebral hemorrhage. Over the course of several weeks, his neurosurgeons repeatedly discuss his poor prognosis with his family, advising them to consider abandoning aggressive intervention in favor of comfort care. The only family member who speaks English is the man's son, who is a physician. He translates for the rest of the family, but whether they understand the gravity of the situation is unclear, as they interpret any sign of movement as a hopeful event. Eventually, after the man's family has tried a traditional Chinese herbal remedy that hasn't worked, a palliative care consultation is held in which they are again asked if they would consider discontinuing the catheters and ventilator. They seem agreeable, but they wish to consult with other family members before giving a final answer. After more time goes by, the team requests an ethics consultation with a translator present. It becomes clear that the family has understood neither the gravity of the situation nor the concept of comfort care. The family asks whether, if they agree to comfort care only, the man's body can remain untouched for eight hours after his death to conform to their Buddhist faith, which dictates that the deceased's body should remain undisturbed for a period of time after death to allow the soul to exit the body. On being assured that this wish will be honored, the family agrees to a "do not attempt resuscitation/do not intubate" order. The patient dies shortly thereafter. Because the death occurs so quickly, there is no time to move the man out of the intensive care unit as had been planned, but the family's request to leave the body undisturbed is nevertheless accommodated.